Moving sign.



W. W. LILES.

MOVING SIGN.

APPLICATION FILED 0013.12, 1908.

Patefited. May 10, 1910.

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957,352. Patented May 10, 1910.

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.UNITE l SATS WILLIAM W. LILES, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

MOVING SIGN.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. LILEs, a citlzen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Moving Signs; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to movable display signs, of the class wherein amotor is employed to cause intermittent movement of a dlsplay article,to attract the attention of the passerby, and has for one of its objectsto improve the construction, and increase the utility and efficiency ofdevices of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simply constructeddevice which will cause an object to be moved intermittently and signsto be likewise intermittently exhibited in connection with the movingobect.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simply constructeddevice of this character operative by an electric motor in conjunctionwith a plurality of electric lamps which are automatically cut in andcut out of circuit with the motor by the movements of the object.

YVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in one ormore objects mounted for movement, a motor, and means whereby the motorintermittently causes the movements of the object.

The invention further consists in two objects connected for movementtoward and away from each other, a motor, and means whereby the motionof the motor is communicated to the objects to produce the movements ofthe same.

The invention further consists in two objects mounted for movementtoward and away from each other, an electric motor, a plurality ofelectric lamps connected in circuit, means whereby the motion of themotor causes the intermittent movement of the connected objects, andmeans whereby the circuit of the electric lamps is alternately openedand closed by the movements of the objects.

The invention further consists in certain novel features of constructionas hereafter Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 12, 1908.

Patented May MD, 1916] Serial No. 457,408.

shown and described and then specifically pointed out in the claims.

The improved device may be employed for moving objects of various kinds,but for the purpose of illustration is shown applied to moving therepresentation of a pair of shoes, but it will be understood that theinvention is not necessarily limited to any specific object, and may bereadily adapted to various objects which it is designed to advertise ordisplay.

In the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of theinvention, Figure l is a front elevation of the improved device. Fig. 2is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of theimproved device.

The improved device comprises a supporting structure, or platform, whichmay be of any required size and of any suitable material, but willpreferably be in the form of a casing 10 having a handle 11 whereby itmay be transported readily, and adapted to be located in a show-windowor other like locality. Mounted for rotation upon the casing 10 is adrive shaft 12 having a collar 13 whereby it may be supported "upon thecasing. The shaft 12 is provided with a gear wheel 1% engaging with agear pinion 15 on an intermediate shaft 16, the latter mounted forrotation on the casing and provided with a supporting collar 17. Theshaft 16 is likewise provided with a gear wheel 18 engaging with a gearpinion 19 upon the shaft of an electric motor 20, the latter arrangedto'be driven from a suitable battery represented at 21, of the ordinaryconstruction. Connected to the motor 20 is a shifter rod 22 whereby aswitch may be actuated to open'and close the circuit which governs themotor. By this simple means it will be obvious that the shaft 12 israpidly rotated when the motor is connected thereto.

The object to be displayed, for the purpose of illustration, two shoes24 -2.5 are arranged upon the casing 10 and mounted to swing from acommon pivot 26 located at the heel portions of the shoes.

Slidably mounted in bearings 27 and spaced apart upon the casing 10 is arod 28 coupled at 29 to a plate 30, and coupled at 3l-32 to the plate 30are rods 83-? t, the free ends of the rods being coupled at 3536 tobrackets 3788 connected respectively to the shoe members 2 l25.Connected to the shaft 12 is a crank 39, and connected between the crank39 and the adjacent end of the rod 28 is a connecting member 40. By thisarrangement it will be obvious that when the shaft 12 is rotated therotary motion of the shaft will be transmitted through the member 40 tothe rod 28 and thence through the plate 30 to the rods 3334, therebyreciprocating the shoe members 24.'25, and causing them to open andclose at the toe ends once at each revolution of the shaft. The gears1et18 and the pinions l519 will cause the relatively rapid motion of themotor to be transmitted with a slow speed to the shaft 12 and thence tothe shoes 24125, so that the latter will open and close at relativelylong intervals. Any suitable advertising matter may be associated withthe moving figures of the shoes, as for instance display cards 41-42 atthe heel portions of the shoes and display cards et 3et l at the sidesof the shoes. v

Electric light bulbs are arranged at suitable intervals upon the casing10, and connected by suitable wiring 46. Suitable batteries 47 arearranged within the casing 10 and connected by suitable wiring 48 to theelectric light bulbs. Connected to the shoe figure 24 is an electriccontact 49, and connected to the shoe figure 25 is an electric contact50, the two contacts being adapted to engage when the figures of theshoe are in close relations and to be separated when the shoe figuresare separated. The contacts t950 are connected by wires 5152 in circuitwith the electric bulbs 45, as shown. By this means when the shoefigures 24:25 are brought in close relations as shown in full lilies inFig. 1, the contacts 4c950 will close the circuit through the lightbulbs and cause them to be illuminated, and when the shoe figures areseparated as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the circuit of the bulbswill be broken and the lights extinguished. By this means the lightswillbe alternately displayed and extinguished as the shoes are operated andthus attract attention to the figures displayed.

The figures may be varied to any required extent to display articles ofvarious kinds without material structural changes in the details of thedevice, and it will be understood that it is not desired to limit theinvention to any specific article to be dis played, and modificationsand changes in the devicemay be made Within the scope of the appendedclaims without departing from the principle of the invention orsacrificing any of its advantages.

The casing 10 and other parts may be of any required size, or of anyrequired material, and the casing may be located at any desired point inthe show-window or other locality.

What is claimed is 1. A device of the class described comprising aplurality of electric lamps connected in circuit, two objects movabletoward and away from each other, contacts carried by said objects andengaged when said objects are in one position, said contacts being connected in circuit with said lamps, and means for actuating said objects.

2. In a device of the class described, a supporting structure, aplurality of electric lamps connected in circuit, two objects movableupon said structure, a bar arranged for movement upon said structure, abracket connected to each of said objects, links connected respectivelybetween said bar and ob jects, contacts carried by said objects andconnected in circuit with said lamps, a motor, and connecting meansbetween said motor and bar.

In testimony whereof, I afliX my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

VILLIAM W. LILES.

WVitnesses JOHN BAUMUNK, JOHN NIcKnL.

